'Shogun' not currently considering middleweight, would need medical advice

A day may come when Mauricio Rua will drop a weight class and compete at middleweight. But “Shogun” said it’s unlikely to happen any time soon, if at all.

And, even if the former UFC light heavyweight champion considers it, he said he’d need to consult with medical professionals to determine if it’s really a safe and viable endeavor.

Rua has lost two straight and four of his past six fights. For veteran competitors like the 32-year-old, that can usually lead to two things: retirement, or a move in weight class to open up new possibilities. And sure, the 2005 PRIDE grand prix champion has considered the latter, but it’s a long shot at best.

“That’s a question everyone asks, about dropping to middleweight,” Rua recently said. “I’ve talked about it a lot with my manager and teammates, but I never gave serious thought to dropping in weight class. It could happen, but for now I am not thinking about it as I am booked to fight in my weight class, as a light heavyweight.”

Rua (21-8 MMA, 5-6 UFC) meets 205-pounder James Te Huna (16-6 MMA, 5-2 UFC) in next week’s UFC Fight Night 33 co-headliner, which takes place Saturday, Dec. 7, at Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Queensland, Australia. Due to the time difference, the event airs live in the U.S. on Friday, Dec. 6, on FOX Sports 1.

For Rua, it’s a must-win fight following back-to-back losses to light heavyweights Alexander Gustafsson and Chael Sonnen. It also moved him to just 2-4 since his brief title run from 2010-2011.

Win or lose, middleweight is always a possibility, though Rua has doubts his body is suited for the 185-pound division.

“To be honest, I would have to undergo some medical examinations regarding the possible weight drop,” said Rua, who recently marked his 12-year anniversary as a pro MMA fighter. “My walk-around weight is around 104, 105 kilograms (about 230 pounds). So to go down to 84 kilograms, I’d have to drop 20 kilograms (44 pounds).”

While a victory next week would likely assure Rua additional big matchups at light heavyweight, especially in his native Brazil, “Shogun” isn’t ready to close the door completely on a move to middleweight. He still thinks it’s unlikely, but he’s never going to say never.

“Maybe I wouldn’t be able to do it,” he said. “I’d have to work on that with my team. But it is something that could happen, yes.”

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